The Honolulu City Council held a regular meeting on September 3, 2025, beginning at approximately 9:00 AM and continuing into the afternoon with a recess at 2:00 PM. The meeting included a message of aloha, procedural announcements, approval of minutes, and action on numerous resolutions and bills covering appointments, tax policy, transit fares, housing, and downtown revitalization. Key decisions included the referral of Kevin Alger's nomination for housing director, passage of first reading for several bills, second reading for transit fare increases and a downtown business improvement district, and third reading for property tax exemptions.
Good morning, everyone. Councilmember Topolo, could you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag. Liberty and justice. Thank you. Councilmember Tupolo, would you like to introduce your guests giving the message of Aloha? Aloha chair and members of the community. It's my honor this morning to introduce someone who truly embodies the spirit of West Oahu. Mikiala Lidstone, born in Nanakuli, raised in Kailua, Mikiala's foundation has always been rooted in place. As she says in her own words, the power within your place is all the history and the significant events and people that really contributed to the abundance of this place and how it has thrived over the years. When we know how special our place is, we in turn say, wow, we are special as well. She now lives in Kapole and has dedicated her life to strengthening our communities through education, culture, and connection. These programs build confidence, strengthen relationships, and are grounded in native Hawaiian values. Reminding us that the name Kapole is more than just a growing city. You know, for me, moving to Kapole was not easy. It was a young, growing community, very different from the long established community I come from. Like all growing communities, Kapalay faced challenges then, and it still does today. Yet in the midst of change, I found something deeply grounding, a place that connected me to the heart of the community. That place is Puo Kapole, a sacred site that carries the story and spirit of the region. In fact, it's from this hill, Puo Kapoole, that the entire city of Kapole gets its name. Once I learned of its history, I became a steward of this Vahipana right away. Today I continue to serve as one of its caretakers through the city's Adopt the Park program. Through this Kuleana, I've seen firsthand both the challenges and the opportunities that come with maintaining our public green spaces. The challenges are real, resources are limited, and upkeep is constant. But I've witnessed the creativity and commitment of devoted volunteers who step up every day with heart and innovative solutions. Community organizations, families and individuals, people who may not have much to give, yet share their time, their personal resources, and their aloha to care for these places. These acts are not just acts of maintenance, they are acts of aloha. They show us the deep hilina, the deep relationship between people and place. In fact, Puo Kapoole was the very first site in Hawaii to be listed on the state historic registry as a traditional cultural property. And over the years, I've learned that many of our cultural historic sites are located on city property, most within our parks. And I often wonder, what would it look like if we did? What would it mean for our communities, for our caretakers of place and for future generations? Because one thing we know is that when it comes to caring for our special places, our communities step up. I greeted you today with aloha, and as we know, aloha is not just a greeting, it's an action. It's a kuleana. It's the love we give to one another and the love we give to the land that sustains us. You are never alone in the work that you do. The community stands ready to share this kuleana and to ensure that this city, this place and all our places are cared for and cherished for generations to come. Mahalo for all you do and aloha. Thank you so much. Members have uh procedural announcements to make before we begin. Although remote oral testimony is being permitted, this is a regular meeting and not a remote meeting by interactive conference technology under HRS section 92-3.7. Therefore, the meeting will continue notwithstanding the loss of audiovisual communication with remote testifiers or loss of the public broadcasting of the meeting. Members of the public will be allowed to provide oral testimony on all items on the agenda, either in person in the council chamber or remotely. As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state of Hawaii, pursuant to Article 15, section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution and Section 1-13 of the Hawaii revised statutes. Members of the public may testify in either language. For oral testimonies offered in Olelo, Hawaii, additional time as may be necessary, will be allowed for the testifier to provide an English translation of their testimony. Both testifying before testifying, each person shall state their full name and the agenda item they are testifying on. Each speaker may not have anyone else speak, read their test testimony, and is limited to a three-minute presentation on public hearing and new business items and a one-minute presentation on all other items. Registered in-person testifiers will be called first.